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Page 172
have kept the child by him, cossetting him into love and obedience so that he would not wish to rebel on the one hand, and watching him very carefully so that he could not rebel on the other. King Richard would never have bothered. Certainly he would have invited Arthur to come to himhe did so several times during his lifeand, unless his temper was somehow aroused, he would have treated his nephew with honor. If Arthur persisted in rebellion, however, Richard would have fought him in the field with the greatest pleasure as often and as fiercely as Arthur wished to fight until he was killed in battle or beaten into submission.
Henry's way was both kind and politically expedient, although it might have bred trouble in the future. Richard's path was courageous and honorable, although it was very unwise in the sense that it would cause great bloodshed and suffering and economic loss, and still would not guarantee the future. John had seen things differently from either his father or his brother. John secured the future, but at a rather questionable price.
After his capture, Arthur was brought before John in the presence of his barons at Falaise. There John had publicly promised his nephew his protection and kind treatment if he forswore any right to the throne and gave his oath to be an obedient subject. John was 32; Arthur was 12. It was not difficult to use such phrasing that a vainglorious and passionate child would refuse. John had Arthur removed to the great fortress of Rouen. All the nobles saw him leave in good health, if not in the best of spirits.
Thus far, all was clear and open. What followed was all mysteryexcept for the fact that Arthur disappeared from Rouen. There were many tales, some clearly ridiculous and vindictivesuch as the one that said John had dragged Arthur into a boat, stabbed him, thrown him into the river, and rowed back to the castle. Even Alinor laughed at that. Whatever else John was, he was not such an idiot as that. One does not conceal a murder

 
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